Four students of the Kumasi Secondary Technical School (KSTS) were held in custody Tuesday following their arrest by the Tanoso police for allegedly indulging in occultism and art of sorcery.
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Isaac Opoku Sarkodie, Evans Oppong, Dominic Akwasi Acheampong and Derrick Dankwa – all first-year students – were apprehended by residents of Nyankerenease, near Tanoso, at the site of a private developer’s project and later handed over to the police for action.
Officers also seized blue powder, red calico and other strange materials from the students who are believed to be teenagers.
According to Abuakwa District Police Commander, Supt. Joseph Nyaaba, who confirmed the arrest of the students, one Mrs. Anna Lartey had earlier lodged a complaint with the police about the activities of the suspects at the site, which is being developed into a residential accommodation.
According to the police chief, the students were being investigated for allegedly practising secret rituals – sorcery and occultism – that are considered to be unlawful.
Mrs. Anna Lartey, in an interview with this paper, said the students claimed they were indulging in the secret rituals to fortify themselves and obtain superior skills for academic work, sportsmanship and power.
She disclosed that they were caught red-handed by some vigilant neighbours following the discovery of slaughtered black fowls, blue powder, calabash, red calico and some fetish substances at her site about a month ago.
For the students, nothing sinister was going on as they were seeking power for the right purposes and that the art of sorcery and occultism is not a big deal.
However, Mrs. Lartey is worried about the young chaps whose future, she conjectured, might be in danger, asserting that the number of students involved could be mind-blowing.
Meanwhile, the assistant headmaster of the school in-charge of administration, Issah Mariga, said he was not aware of the arrest and detention of the students when contacted.
Mr. Mariga, who was spotted at the Tanoso police station with some parents of the students, told the paper that he was not privy to the arrest of his students since no such information had come to his notice, Daily Guide reported.